Chris Vass of Edgewater, Maryland, suffered from moderate to severe ulcerative pancolitis, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes ulcers in the colon. After all known treatments failed, Chris’ only option seemed to be a total colectomy—surgical removal of the colon. But even with this, Chris might still need a temporary colostomy bag and have frequent bowel movements. At the young age of 27, it was a devastating prospect.
“I couldn’t go through with it,” Chris recalls. “There had to be another way.” Fortunately, there was—thanks to a clinical trial that his care team at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital guided him through.
Chris’ journey began several years earlier when he started losing weight and experiencing frequent bloody stools, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. At the peak of his illness, he had lost an alarming 70 pounds. Chris had just moved to the Washington, D.C., area for a new job. But nighttime flare-ups disrupted his sleep, making it impossible for Chris to work and adding to his stress. “This disease affected every aspect of my life—physical, emotional, social, sexual,” says Chris. “Besides feeling awful, I was always worried. I was a young, single guy and I couldn’t even go out with my buddies unless I was sure there was a bathroom nearby.”
When his local gastroenterologist couldn’t help, Chris sought a second opinion. He searched for a state-of-the-art facility that specialized in IBD. “MedStar Georgetown stood out from the rest,” he says. “It was rated as having one of the best programs in the region and had national recognition.”
Chris was impressed by his MedStar Health medical team. “Everybody was so knowledgeable and kind.” Mark Mattar, MD, director of the IBD Center at MedStar Georgetown, treated Chris and emphasizes that “IBD doesn’t just affect the colon. It is a systemic disease that can impact the entire digestive tract, and more.” For this reason, Dr. Mattar is a strong proponent of the team model at MedStar Georgetown. “For the best outcomes, patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach, with physician specialists, advanced care providers, infusion coordinators, dietitians, mental health experts, pharmacists, and colorectal surgeons all working together.”
After all known therapies failed, Chris was disheartened by the possibility of surgery. “But my MedStar Georgetown team never gave up. They said, ‘We’re going to figure something out.’” That “something” was a new clinical trial for the drug STELARA®. Chris learned about it during a checkup, when his doctor said, “Good news. There’s an opportunity here.”
MedStar Georgetown had just become a site in the Washington, D.C., area and Maryland selected to participate in a clinical trial for ustekinumab (STELARA) for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Chris qualified for the trial and began with one infusion, returning for regular injections and colonoscopies.
Within three months, Chris’ weight stabilized, he was pain-free, and he had semiformed stools. After a year, Chris was symptom-free, and his inflammation markers and colonoscopy were normal. His complete remission continues today, and now, STELARA is approved for use with ulcerative colitis.
Had Chris not sought a second opinion, he might never have been able to participate in this life-changing trial. “I couldn’t be more thankful to everybody at MedStar Georgetown,” he says. “Having such knowledgeable and caring allies went a long way.” Chris has come a long way, too. He now administers his medication injections at home, and dreams of one day living medication-free. Considering his remarkable trajectory, no wonder Chris remains hopeful about life’s possibilities.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please visit MedStarHealth.org/GIExperts or call 202-295-0570.